


don’t tug at my heart

by vividfriend



Category: Doctor Who (2005)
Genre: Alternate Universe, F/F, Fluff and Humor, Humor, I love these disaster gays so much, Idiots in Love, Mutual Pining, Useless Lesbians
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-03-13
Updated: 2020-03-30
Packaged: 2021-03-01 03:01:21
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 3
Words: 5,944
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/23128204
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/vividfriend/pseuds/vividfriend
Summary: Yasmin Khan is tired of the monotony of pushing papers and solving civic disputes. She wants more of out of her job, but fat chance of that happening until her probationary period is over. For now she’s stuck writing parking tickets while silently yearning for something more.But then she meets Jess Song, the eccentric owner of TARDIS Towing, and suddenly she finds herself looking forward to the next parking violation just for another chance to see her again.
Relationships: Thirteenth Doctor/Yasmin Khan
Comments: 51
Kudos: 72





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> OKAY, this has been stuck in my head for several weeks now and I finally had time to write it out yesterday. Expect four chapters or so. This is my first time posting a multi-chap fic in a long while so I figured I'd start off short as to not freak myself out, haha. :)
> 
> I’d like to preface this by saying there is a tiny reference to drugs near the end (nothing super serious—this fic is supposed to be more humorous in nature). Just a heads up in case that’s not your cup of tea! Also, I know next to nothing about tow trucks and the UK’s police system other than the light research I’ve done so let’s all suspend our belief for a bit 👀
> 
> (I also may or may not be a meme lord and it might’ve bled into Yaz a bit. I’M SORRY.)
> 
> Now, who’s ready to read about these idiots?

“Madame, please step away from the vehicle.”

“ _No_ , you can’t do this! I’m callin’ the police!”

Yasmin Khan’s face pinched in disgust as the angry woman breathed on her, the sour smell of booze filling her nose. She’d been arguing with the same woman for the past several minutes and it was starting to grate on her. Some middle-aged Karen who didn’t know her limit and apparently didn’t know how to read _no parking zone_ signs either.

“Madame, I _am_ the police, and if you don’t step away from this car, you’re going to have to deal with more than it being towed.” And _where_ was that tow truck? She called it in ages ago.

Karen gasped, rearing her head back like Yaz had just desecrated her family name. “Are you _threatening_ me?”

The urge to roll her eyes was almost palpable. “If you call offering to take you down to the station for obstructing police procedure threatening, then yes.”

Karen bristled and leaned forward, squinting at Yaz’s nametag. “Officer _Khan_ ,” she spat, “you’re superior officer will be hearing from me!”

“All good things, I’m sure.” Yaz replied with the most neutral tone she could muster.

The woman opened her wine-stained lips to retort, but a low rumble of a diesel engine interrupted her, and a familiar large blue tow truck puttered over next to the curb she was standing on.

Yaz sighed as she watched the woman drunkenly stumble over to her own car in, what she could assume was, an act of defiance.

“Madame, I have your keys!”

Karen ignored her as she manually locked herself in the car. At least Yaz knew she wasn’t going anywhere. Taking out her notepad, she conceded that it was going to be a long night. Night shifts always brought out the crazies.

The sound of a truck door shutting reached her ears, but she didn’t have to look up to see who it was. She’d been working with the same tower—an old classmate from primary school—for the past several months. They’d fallen into an easy routine and had used the time to reconnect after all those years.

“Took you long enough, don’t you think, Ryan?” Yaz playfully chided as she scribbled notes about the event. She had a feeling the night was going to end with booking the woman after all.

A throat cleared behind her.

“What, you’re not still mad that I didn’t give you my sister’s number, are you?” She asked, still focused on her notepad. He’d been bugging her for Sonya’s number for months, but the idea of one of her mates dating her younger sister just felt too odd.

“Uhm, I don’t think so?”

She snapped her head up at the sound of an unfamiliar voice, cheeks burning when she locked eyes with a woman who was most definitely _not_ Ryan Sinclair. The soft glow emitted from a nearby streetlamp highlighted the green in her hazel eyes and refracted off of the safety lining of her well-fit uniform. Blonde hair spilled from beneath an old blue cap cheekily worn backwards, falling just above her shoulders and framing soft cheeks. Yaz didn’t know who the woman was, but she was sure of one thing...

She was _hot_.

“You’re not Ryan.” Yaz blurted when she remembered how to speak and then winced because she was nothing if not aware of her unmatched ability to state the obvious.

The blonde took it in stride, however, and chuckled. “No, afraid not. Poor bloke caught a nasty one so I took his shift,” she stuck out a hand, “I’m Jess Song. You must be Officer Khan who called me in.”

Yaz nodded and fumbled her pen and notepad into one hand as she eagerly grasped the offered one. It was firm and warm, and she couldn’t help but notice the feel of calluses on the pad of her hands and fingertips as she let go. A small tingle ran up her arm as she considered Jess doing hard labour, working her strong hands.

 _Where’d_ that _come from?_ For god’s sake, she _just_ met this woman and she was already turning into a mess. 

Blinking rapidly, Yaz forced her thoughts into safer territory before realisation hit. “Jess? As in Ryan’s boss and owner of the company Jess?”

“The one and the same! Though it seems my reputation precedes me.” Jess scrunched her face and moved a hand to scratch underneath her ball cap, a gesture almost nervous in nature and completely endearing. “I hope I’m not known as the overbearing boss.”

Truthfully, Ryan didn’t talk much about his boss, so she’d only heard the odd comment here and there about the eccentric woman… and he certainly never bothered to mention how attractive she was.

Yaz gave herself a mental shake. _Snap out of it, Khan_. “Not at all,” she gave her a smile which Jess returned warmly. 

“Good because I like to think we use a very flat team structure.” Jess stated seriously though her eyes danced with mirth. “Now, I hear you’re in need of a tow and, lucky for you, I’m a purveyor of such things.”

Yaz giggled in spite of herself. “Right. We’ve got a car parked in the fire zone, needs a tow. The usual bit, only the car owner isn’t being very… compliant.”

As if summoned, Karen blared the horn, and yelled something that was too muffled from her place inside the car to clearly make out. Yaz’s face quickly morphed into one of distaste when Karen flipped her off when she realized the screaming wasn’t going to work. Yep, Karen was definitely going to get at least a fine, she’d be sure of it.

She turned back to face Jess who gave her a rueful smile. “She seems of the fun sort, that one.”

Yaz shrugged in return. “Perks of the job, I guess. Don’t worry, I’ll have her out in a mo’.”

“Oh, I’ve no doubt of that.” Jess grinned and Yaz flushed at the conviction in her statement. “I’ll hop back in the old girl, get her warmed up. She can be a bit finicky sometimes.” The blonde pointed a thumb at the truck behind her. _TARDIS Towing: We’ll Tow You ‘Cross the Universe_ was emblazoned on the cab door. Yaz had always wondered about the odd name, but now meeting the eccentric owner of the towing company, it somehow made sense.

Jess stopped short of climbing all the way into the cab, feet catching on the truck’s step, “Officer Khan—”

“Yaz,” she interrupted before hastily adding, “I mean, my name’s Yasmin, but you can call me Yaz.”

“Yaz,” Jess repeated as if she were testing the name on her tongue before she leaned forward. Yaz would be concerned the blonde would fall if she weren’t for her hold on the doorframe. “Don't get me wrong, I’d love to keep chatting because, trust me, I do love a good chat,” hazel eyes flitted to a spot above Yaz’s shoulder, “but I think you might have a runaway on your hands.”

Yaz blinked, taking a full minute to process anything under Jess’s easy smile. Runaway? _Shit—Karen!_ She whipped around to see Karen angling out the passenger side window carrying a suspiciously large handbag. 

“Madame, please halt!” Fully engaged with the situation now, Yaz clutched at the radio on her chest, calling out a quick report to dispatch, and ran full speed at the woman.

* * *

Karen, Yaz learned from booking her, turned out to be named Cathy who apparently had a nasty habit of doing coke judging from the small baggy she found stuffed in the woman’s oversized handbag.

“Good job, Khan!”

“Nice catch, Yaz!”

She glowed with pride at the compliments she received from her coworkers, even grinning when one slapped her on the back. All-in-all, it was a relatively small bust in the grand scheme of things, but she couldn’t help but be a bit proud of herself too. She wished it could always be like this. Not just playing the hero, but making an active difference in her community. A year and a half into her probationary period and all she’d been tasked with was handing out parking tickets, solving civic disputes, and pushing papers.

It wasn’t like Yaz _hated_ her job, though. She just wanted to do more, take on more responsibility. She wondered if her boss would finally realise her potential and place her on harder calls now, but quickly dashed the thought. She’d been through it with him enough to know it was a moot point until her probation was over.

Sighing, she sat down at her desk to fill out the formal report of the night’s events, but stopped when she suddenly remembered Jess. Yaz had been too wrapped up in arresting then-Karen-now-Cathy to properly say goodbye. She simmered in soft regret until the image of Jess’s easy smile and strong hands flashed in her mind and Yaz found her cheeks warming on their own accord.

A slow smile spread across her features. She wondered if she'd get to see the blonde again. She supposed that if she was going to be stuck with the boring bits of the job, then she at least deserved some nice eye candy along the way. But then she flushed because _wow, where did that come from?_ Okay, so maybe this was getting a little out of hand.

Still, Yaz couldn't help the tiny flutter in her stomach when she came to the Involved Parties section of the report and, like she was sending out a silent invitation, carefully wrote out the name _Jess Song_.

~


	2. Chapter 2

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I won’t lie, this one was tough to get out, but I hope you enjoy it! Loads more Jess in this one, too. :) Also let’s continue suspending our belief in the traffic/police system!
> 
> Aiming for Friday updates btw, but the 3rd chapter is almost finished and I have the patience of a child so you can imagine how that’ll go!

“Oh, thank Christ you’re here,” Clara groaned as soon as Yaz entered the station two nights later.

“Wow, you look like shit,” Yaz quipped as she handed over a cup of coffee as was customary on their shifts together. She noted that her usually well-kept partner looked more than a little frazzled with papers strewn haphazardly across her desk.

“I’m ignoring that in favour of this delicious bean water,” Clara said as she took a grateful sip. “We’ve been getting calls all night for a traffic sitch, and I’m behind on my paperwork. Pushy business owner found someone parked in his spot. Needs a tow and an officer there to file a report ASAP.”

Yaz drew in a breath. The people of Sheffield had been unusually quiet the past couple of days and she had never been so frustrated not to receive a call for a parking violation before in her life. Her mind flashed to Jess Song, all warm smiles and easy charm. Although she’d only briefly interacted with her, she’d been a hard thought to get rid of. The chance to see her again wasn’t lost on her and she eagerly grabbed for it in a rush: “No worries, I got this one.”

“C’mon, Yaz, the sarge is totally gonna have my arse if I don’t—” Clara abruptly cut herself off, looking almost dumbfounded before she eyed Yaz with creeping suspicion. “Hold up, did you just say  _ yes _ ? Who are you and what have you done with my partner?”

Yaz crossed her arms and jutted out her chin in defence. She knew if Clara spotted any sign of weakness, she’d be relentless in getting to the bottom of the whole thing, and Yaz wasn’t ready to admit that to anyone just yet, much less her nosy partner.

“I have no idea what you’re talking about.”

“Usually you bitch if you even  _ think _ about writing another parking ticket.” Clara frowned. “What’s wrong?”

“Nothing, I just woke up ready to work is all.”

Clara narrowed her eyes and placed a hand on her hip. “Yaz,  _ no one _ wakes up ready to work, and especially not on the nightshift.”

“Well, did you ever think that maybe I just want to help out a friend?”

At that the small brunette levelled her with such an intense gaze that Yaz’s eyebrow twitched under the heavy scrutiny. She knew her poker face failed when Clara’s eyes grew impossibly large as if she’d just unearthed some holy treasure. She had a sinking feeling she wouldn’t like where this was headed as she watched a mischievous grin grow.

“Wait, are you excited to see Ryan?”

“W-what?” Yaz sputtered, dropping her arms in one long, dumbfounded motion.

“Oh my god, is this why you didn’t give him your sister’s number?”

Yaz swore her jaw would be bruised from how hard it hit the floor. What could she even say to that?  _ No, I’m just weirdly attracted to some woman I just met and I can’t wait to see her again? _ She flushed at the notion and it may as well have been all the answer Clara needed.

“It  _ is _ , isn’t it?”

“Clara, you do remember I’m a lesbian, right?” Yaz deadpanned.

The small brunette let out an exaggerated gasp and rolled her eyes, “It’s the 21st century, Yaz, people can be bi.”

Flushing harder, Yaz snatched the report from her partner’s desk. “I’m walking away now.”

“You can’t keep living in denial!” Clara called after her retreating form.

Abruptly the phone rang and Yaz had no shame in taking immense pleasure in hearing her partner mutter a curse as she picked up. “Yes, Mr. Masterson, we’re sending someone down there now.”

* * *

Yaz didn’t have a mild heart attack when she arrived on the scene to see Jess Song already there and she definitely did not spend five extra minutes in the car adjusting her hat in the mirror. That would be ridiculous, and completely and totally untrue.

No, instead she stepped out of her vehicle only a moment after arriving and confidently strode over to the taller woman… or she would have if her damn jacket hadn’t gotten stuck in the car door, yanking her backwards as she tried to walk.

Grimacing, she tried to subtly tug her jacket free from the door without being seen.

“Yasmin Khan.”

Yaz almost jumped out of her skin as she twisted - as much as she could - to see Jess. The blonde was wearing her backwards ballcap and her regular deep blue uniform again.

“Jess!” Yaz exclaimed as she pressed her back into the car to hide her current predicament. She couldn’t deny the twinge of excitement that Jess even remembered her name. “Fancy seeing you here!”

“Yeah, Ryan’s still out so I’m on duty again tonight.” Jess commented and Yaz made a mental note to check in on her friend once off work. “I’m glad to see you here, though.”

“You are?” Yaz inwardly grimaced as her voice rose an octave.

“Yes, the business owner is a right arse. Glad you’re here so we can finally get this over and done with.”

Yaz tried to tamp down the sudden bout of disappointment she felt at her words. She had no reason to feel like that—they’d only met once before, yet for some reason the sting persisted. “Oh, for sure, Mr. Masterson is awful.”

“Plus,” Jess interrupted her mental tirade as she leaned into Yaz’s space, almost inconspicuously, “I’m very keen to see if I can watch you tackle someone again. That was proper amazin’!”

“T-thanks,” Yaz stuttered as her troglodyte brain forgot how to form proper sentences. Her senses were too busy being filled with the light smell of peppermint and engine oil - which somehow just  _ worked _ for Jess - that she couldn’t think straight. And really, that was her problem, wasn’t?

“Oh, by the way,” If even possible, Jess leaned further into her space. Yaz’s heart stuttered against her chest and she felt her brain go into overdrive as the other woman reached behind her to grasp the door handle. Suddenly her jacket was freed, and she was pushed ever further into Jess by the door opening against her back.

“Much easier to get these things out when you use the door,” Jess explained as her eyes locked on to Yaz’s. They were so close that Yaz could see the blues and greens swirling in the blonde’s eyes. 

They stayed like that for a moment, still and silent in each other’s presence.

Then the spell was broken, but she didn’t miss the faint pink tinge to Jess’s cheeks before the woman cleared her throat and stepped back. Yaz immediately missed her presence, yet welcomed the space, which allowed her brain to shift back into gear.

“Thank god you’re here,” Yaz was told for the second time that night as she turned to see Mr. Masterson marching towards them. “Please remove this cretin’s car. They’re parked  _ illegally _ .”

She had to stifle a laugh when she heard Jess mutter  _ perfect tackle opportunity  _ before disappearing off to line up the tow during Mr. Masteron’s long winded tirade on common decency. That coupled with his nasally voice made it hard for anyone to take him seriously.

She was just putting away her notes for the report after the business owner returned from whence he came when Jess saddled up next to her again.

Yaz bumped her shoulder playfully. “You’re gonna get me in trouble, y’know that?”

“Oh, c’mon, don’t tell me you didn’t think it, too, when he went on about—” Jess puffed up her chest and pinched her nose, “the youths today just don’t respect the common bylaws anymore. Absolutely barbaric!”

They both laughed before Jess yawned.

“Long night?” Yaz questioned.

At that the blonde yawned again. “More like long several nights. Not used to the night shift yet.”

Enjoying their easy banter and noting she still had some time before she had to return to the station, Yaz willed herself to be brave, “There’s this shop over on the corner. They stay open late and they make a mad cuppa that’s kept me up through some insane nights.”

“Oh, I love a good cup,” Jess looked over to her truck, suddenly hesitant, “but I probably shouldn’t take her all over town with a tow attached.”

“You can ride in mine,” Yaz said a little too quickly, “If you want, that is.”

Jess beamed. “Can we put on the sirens?”

* * *

The two of them had grabbed their drinks and opted to pull the car back around near Jess’s truck should Yaz need to suddenly leave in a hurry. They settled into a companionable silence as they sipped their coffees.

“Y’know, I don’t usually drink this stuff,” Jess broke the quiet after a moment, “normally makes my brain go all wibbly wobbly, but this stuff’s amazin’! Ten points to Yasmin Khan!”

Yaz hid her smile in her cup as she took another drink. “As an officer of the law, I’m here to support Sheffield’s citizens. Be that through listening to insufferable business owners or suggesting where to go for the best nighttime cup.”

Jess laughed. “I didn’t know Sheffield’s finest trained for that.”

“Oh, absolutely. I’m certified in listening to complaints and sniffing out good coffee.”

“Not to mention tackling,” Jess quipped. “Good to know they’re putting our taxpayer money to good use. Now I know who to go to next time I’m in need of a strong cup and good company, or if I really need to be thrown to the ground. By the way—”

Yaz choked on her coffee at the mental image that provided: Jess on the ground, Yaz on to—

“Careful now,” Jess frowned as she patted her on the back. Yaz thought her heart would seize up. There was only so much her poor gay heart could take.

“I’m fine,” Yaz wheezed, thumping her chest a few times, “Just went down the wrong pipe. What were you saying?”

“Oh, right. Did you ever give Ryan your sister’s number?”

Yaz pushed back the little twinge of embarrassment at the thought of their first meeting. “Nah, it’s just too weird.”

Jess turned in her seat, hazel eyes locked onto brown. “Why’s that? Interested in him yourself?”

“Why’s everyone think that?” Yaz frowned as she remembered Clara’s interrogation from earlier. “He’s just a mate. I just don’t want my mate datin’ my sister is all. It’s just odd.”

“Ah,” Jess commented, quietly sipping her coffee, then: “Good.”

It was Yaz’s turn to face the other woman, eyebrows knitting in confusion. “What’s good?”

“Just, good.” Jess repeated softly, offering nothing more and suddenly looking anywhere but Yaz. The police officer swore she could see a light pink hue dusting Jess’s cheeks but wrote it off to the reflection of the soft orange glow of a nearby streetlamp as it disappeared a moment later.

“Right,” Jess said after a long moment, and she downed the rest of her cup, “I best be going. Probably should’ve gotten that car back to the lot ages ago.”

Yaz smiled warmly as she watched the other woman open the car door. “Thanks for the company. Makes nights like these more bearable.”

“Same here. We should do this again sometime,” Jess gave Yaz a broad smile before she climbed out of the car. Then, as if forgetting something, she popped her head back into the doorframe. “Oh, and Yaz?”

“Yes?”

“Sometimes odd can be good.”

With that the door to her squad car was quietly shut and Yaz was left to turn over those parting words in the low ambience of night. She had a feeling that Jess was referring to more than just her sibling conundrum, but she couldn’t quite figure it out.

One thing Yaz was certain of, however, was that she was already eagerly awaiting her next parking violation just so she could have an excuse to see her again.

~

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Lemme know if you enjoyed this! I loved all of your comments - they made my week! ❤️
> 
> Tumblr: @vividfriend


	3. Chapter 3

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> me: I’m gonna post before Friday!  
> also me: 🤡
> 
> Thank you everyone for the amazing comments! They really kept me sane while writing this! :D

Yaz yawned as she shuffled bags of leftovers into the trunk of her car.

Since she’d begun working the nightshift and had essentially turned into a night owl, her sleep schedule had curled and adapted around her shifts. Normally Yaz wouldn’t be caught dead in the usual waking hours of the world when she took on nights. But then again, normalcy was thrown out the window when Najia Khan was involved.

Her mother had politely suggested that they move their nice, scheduled Sunday dinner to a Sunday lunch instead. _Sonya’s back from uni for the weekend and I want to see both my girls at the same time. Is that too much to ask for?_ And, frankly, how could Yaz resist such sweetly tinged passive aggression?

The lunch had gone well – as it could. She and Sonya bickered minimally; passing the odd barb back and forth in their usual game. She’d even relented and slid her sister Ryan’s number at the thought of Jess’s words from several nights previously.

Now that Yaz considered it, more and more of her thoughts had drifted to Jess as of late. It was like the blonde had taken up permanent residence in her brain, inconveniently located right next to the _Disaster Lesbian_ section of her frontal lobe. 

They’d gotten on like a house on fire since their late night coffee session a week ago and it had turned into something of a routine since. Every time she saw Jess – nearing almost every shift now – they’d manage to steal away some time to drink a cup together and each night held new discoveries. She learned that Jess’s favourite colour was a deep blue, that she had a knack for mechanical engineering, and that she could talk about _anything_ and Yaz would hang off every word

A wave of affection flooded her as she recounted Jess’s oddly passionate ramble about how she hated, more than anything else in the universe, _pears_ of all things.

Somewhere along the way, Yaz found herself wanting to see her for more than just the casual eye candy. She actually _liked_ Jess, quirky pear hatred and all.

This was an issue in itself because it did not take Clara long to sniff that out and now she was hounding Yaz to _stop being a pansy and ask her out already_! And she was going to! She just… hadn't found the right time yet, was all. Who asked someone out when they were at work anyhow?

But that was a problem for Future Yaz, she decided. Future Yaz could deal with that whole conundrum. Present Yaz just wanted to slink on home to catch a few hours before her next shift. 

She would later blame sleep deprivation when Clara asked how what happened next even began.

After making sure the leftovers of her father’s terrible pakora – of which there were many – were safely secured in her trunk, she made her way over to the driver’s side cab. That was when she saw it: a small pink slip casually resting beneath her windshield wipers. It looked almost innocent as it fluttered in the passing breeze, but Yaz knew better as she’d handed out more than her fair share in the past year.

Snatching the paper off her windshield, she frowned as she skimmed over the words _vehicle has no valid Parking Permit_ and _violator will be towed_.

She glanced down, frown deepening as she found a wheel clamp attached to her front tire. The boot was coloured an awful tacky yellow, which was offensive in its own right, and it might as well have been the last strike against her already delicate nerves.

“Of all the...” _Fuck_. She’d completely forgotten this lot’s parking wasn’t free until after 5pm.

She gave the yellow boot the best death glare she could muster, but cursed when the sunlight glinted off the shiny exterior and shone directly into her eyes. It was like the damn thing was taunting her.

Irritation rose and threatened to bubble over. She was highly considering giving that smug boot a good kick when – 

“I wouldn’t do that if I were you.”

Yaz whipped around, surprised to see a very familiar blue tow truck running idle behind her back. Surprised quickly folded into delight when she saw the blonde owner (and object of her most recent musings) hanging out the open cab window grinning at her. (Vaguely she realised she _must_ be out of it because the loud diesel-fuelled rumble was near impossible to miss.)

It was the first time she’d seen Jess in the sunlight, she realised. Her breath caught as rays of warm light caressed Jess’s soft cheeks and highlighted the greens of her eyes. A soft breeze drifted by, lightly tousling blonde hair that Yaz dutifully noted was sans the signature cap today.

Confusion, however, quickly pushed past her surprised delight. “Don’t do what?”

Jess smirked, nodding to the clamp. “I’ve seen that look before. S’very popular when I’m around, but contrary to popular belief, kicking the boot does not make it come off.” She winked, “Trust me, I’d know.”

Yaz tried her best to ignore the eruption of tiny flutters in her stomach. “Not that I’m not happy to see you, but what are you doing here?”

“Well, ya see, I might’ve gotten a call about a renegade vehicle without a parking pass,” the blonde grimaced, “and I may or may have not had to put a boot on said vehicle.”

Yaz gaped. “It was _you_! I can’t believe you did that to my car!”

“Listen, I didn’t know it was yours! But don’t worry, I can fix this! I’m good at fixin’ things, me.” Jess jumped out of the truck brandishing a set of tools and sporting a simple white tank top instead of her usual uniform. That was when Yaz knew she was a goner.

The tight material of the shirt hugged in all the right places, leaving little room to the imagination. Yaz drew in a sharp breath as the shirt rode up a little in the back as Jess bent down to inspect her tire. The small strip of exposed skin called to her, inviting her to wonder if it would feel as smooth as it looked…

Realising her thoughts were heading to dangerous territory, Yaz desperately willed herself to look anywhere else before deciding the top of her friend’s head was probably the safest bet. And that’s what they were, she hastily reminded herself. _Friends_.

Since Jess didn’t have the cap on today, she could see dark roots peeking out from underneath blonde locks. She wondered if she regularly dyed her hair and decided the look really suited her. Then again, when it came to her, Jess could probably wear trousers that didn’t reach and make it look good.

Yaz mentally shook her head. Trust her to find even the least risqué thing to fawn over. God, she was like some kind of Victorian era man who lost it at the sight of bare ankles. She was pathetic. And gay. _Very gay_ , she thought as she watched Jess strong arm a particularly tough bolt with a wrench.

The sound of tools broke Yaz from her small reverie. “What are you even doing?”

“Fixing,” Jess grunted as she turned the wrench again and it occurred to Yaz that it looked a lot more like dismantling than anything else.

“Jess,” Yaz hissed, “you _can’t_ just do that!”

Jess shot her a confused look over her shoulder. “‘Course I can. Look, I’m doing it right now.” As if to demonstrate, she twisted the wrench in her hands, loosening the metal cage on the tire.

Yaz slid a hand over her face in frustration. “No, I meant it’s _illegal_.”

“Ah,” Jess waved off her concern, “what the police don’t know won’t hurt ‘em.”

“Oh my god, I _am_ the police.”

Jess suddenly paused her ministrations and turned to look up at Yaz, eyes dancing with mischief. “What are you gonna do – arrest me, PC Khan?”

Heat shot up Yaz’s neck and settled onto her cheeks in a flash. That was… new. With each meeting it was like they crept closer to something, something more – something almost inevitable it felt in some ways.

Small sparks of more than just hope danced in the pit of her stomach at the idea of Jess flirting with her. Fuelled by confidence, she decided that two could play at that game.

“Depends,” she began, her tone light and airy as she leaned her hip against the car. She hoped beyond hope that she appeared calm and collected, and like she knew what the fuck she was doing. In reality her confidence waned as soon as the word left her mouth. For God’s sake, what was she doing? She didn’t _flirt_.

“On what?” Jess asked, oblivious to Yaz’s panic. The blonde’s grip tightened on the wrench, but her eyes remained on Yaz. Curiosity and something darker that couldn’t be named glinted in those hazel eyes. 

The subtle action propelled Yaz forward and she, with the power of a thousand B-rated rom-coms backing her, blurted the first thing that came to mind:

“How badly do you wanna be put in handcuffs?” _Wait. NO._

Jess sucked in a breath and her eyes widened considerably. “I –” Abruptly her hold on the wrench slipped and her arm jerked forward, hand scraping painfully across the metal of the wheel clamp. She hissed as she drew her hand back, shaking it as if it would ward off the pain.

“Oh shit, I’m so sorry—” Yaz clamoured to her knees in an instant, taking Jess’s injured hand into her own. She turned it over to inspect the injury.

“What’s the prognosis, Doctor?” Jess quipped.

“Just a scrape,” Yaz sighed, relieved. “Luckily you’ll live. Another inch to the left and it could’ve been fatal, though.”

“Lucky me.” Jess agreed thoughtfully before clearing her throat. “You don’t have to apologise, by the way.” Her cheeks pinkened as she continued, “I quite liked it. Pretty sure I’ve given worse liners before myself, anyway.”

If the ground could open up and swallow Yaz whole that would be spectacular. Unfortunately nothing of the sort happened and she was left floundering for words. Jess gave her a small, tentative smile and she found herself mirroring it as the weight of the moment settled between them.

They held each other’s gaze for a long moment until a loud stomach gurgle broke the spell. A lovely blush bloomed on Jess’s cheeks. Yaz felt her own face flush when she realised she was still holding the other woman’s hand and quickly dropped it. 

“Hungry are you?” Yaz asked as she hastily grappled for a change in subject.

Jess nodded, looking a bit sheepish.

Yaz laughed and the air lightened considerably. “I’ve got leftover pakora in the trunk, if you want to chance my dad’s terrible cooking.”

“Terrible pakora with Yasmin Khan?” Jess grinned. “Brilliant.”

* * *

They ended up sitting in Jess’s truck when the blonde parked to the side in a _free_ parking spot after the boot was removed from Yaz’s car. Left on for the air conditioning in the summer heat, the tow truck rumbled underneath her, almost like it – _she_ , Yaz reminded herself of Jess’s odd affection for the ‘old girl’ – was alive.

Yaz had never met anyone with a reusable pocket spoon – _Yaz, there’s too much plastic in the environment already!_ – before and as Jess eagerly tucked into the terrible pakora, she was more than a little content to just exist in the same space. Tension from the earlier lunch and boot incident drained away as the truck’s rhythmic hum and warmth from the sun soothed her.

Jess was happy to talk away between mouthfuls and Yaz let herself be taken with the conversation.

As lunch winded to a close and they said their goodbyes, Yaz realised she didn’t want to go just yet and selfishly wondered if Jess felt the same. Ultimately deciding to shelve that thought for later, she reached for the door handle, but was surprised to find the door wouldn’t budge.

“That would be her old age showing,” Jess huffed as she reached over Yaz to give the handle a good jiggle.

It was if time stopped moving when Jess turned to her next. Her friend’s triumphant grin at getting the door open slowly slipped, lips parting, and cheeks reddening as her eyes locked onto Yaz.

All coherent thought had ground to a halt as she stared back into a swirling mix of greens and blues and browns.

Jess was the first to break eye contact, her gaze dipping southward; a careful descension onto her lips.

They were so close now. Yaz could feel Jess’s breathing, a steady rhythm that clashed with her own wildy beating heart.

All Yaz had to do was lean forward. A minuscule movement, and then their lips would touch. Everything had been building to this, hadn’t it? Just lean forward and...

The harsh beep of her text tone abruptly filled the air and the two of them jumped apart at the sound, both breathing heavy as they looked anywhere else but at each other.

Yaz hastily fumbled with her phone and opened the screen to find a text from Ryan: _Mate, ur the best! We gotta find u someone now ;)_

The irony was not lost on her. She chanced a glance at Jess who was grasping at the steering wheel and staring at the dashboard with an intensity that Yaz couldn’t place.

Yaz offered an awkward goodbye after that, quickly jettisoning out of the truck with a speed she didn’t know she was capable of.

As she watched Jess drive off, she found herself sitting in her car, replaying their almost kiss. That was what it was, wasn’t it? Her thoughts drifted to the look Jess had given her, the way her lips had parted when… Jess had wanted it, too, didn’t she?

“Oh, I am _fucked_.” Yaz groaned, letting her head drop to rest on her steering wheel.

She needed help, badly.

And there was one person she knew could help her out.

~

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> “Let’s make them flirt!” She says as she conveniently forgets that she cannot, in fact, flirt.
> 
> “Oh,” she says as she remembers her idea of flirting was to tell her then-girlfriend now-wife that she was ‘le cool’ when they first started dating almost 9 years ago. 🙃
> 
> Anyways, thank you all for reading! As always, I’d love to hear if you enjoyed this :)) ❤️
> 
> (Tumblr: @vividfriend)

**Author's Note:**

> Thank you all for reading and I’d really love to hear your thoughts on it! :)
> 
> Catch me over on tumblr @vividfriend if you so wish.


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